* indicates the plant may be considered weedy or invasive in some
parts of the US and may not be appropriate for conservation uses in
certain areas. Check with your local Conservation District or state
department of natural resources for more information on weediness and
recommendations for use. This guide in primarily intended as an
identification tool. Persons intending to use these plants for
conservation or landscape should consult additional sources of
information for use, establishment, and management of the species.
 |
Alfalfa -- Medicago sativa
About this plant:
Perennial Legume
Growth occurs from crowns
Grows 2 to 3 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Leaf: Usually three leaflets with terminal leaflet on
small stem; 1/3 of leaflet is toothed
Flower: Purple
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 |
Alsike clover -- Trifolium
hybridum
About this plant:
Perennial short lived legume
Growth from a crown with multiple stems
Grows 12 to 24 inches tall
Identification Tips:
Leaf: Three leaflets all equal distance from petiole, no light marks present
on upper leaf surface, not shiny underneath
Flower: White to rose
Other: No hairs on vegetative parts
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 |
Annual ryegrass -- Lolium
multiflorum
About this plant:
Annual
Cool season
Grows 1 to 2 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, smooth and open
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, flat, 1/8-inch wide
Ligule: Small, membranous
Other: Small auricles present
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 |
Big bluestem -- Andropogon
gerardii (native)
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Warm season
Spreads by short rhizomes
Somewhat bunchy
Grows 6 to 9 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round to somewhat flattened, open
purplish at base, usually hairy
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, silky hairs widely
dispersed on upper leaf surface
Ligule: Small membrane
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 |
Birdsfoot trefoil -- Lotus
corniculatus
About this plant:
Perennial legume
Growth occurs from crowns but roots can also produce new growth
Grows 12 to 18 inches tall
Identification Tips:
Leaf: 5 leaflets, 3 above and 2 below
Flower: Yellow to deep orange, tinged with red
Other: Inch-long seed pods resemble several toes of a bird's foot, thus
plant's name
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 |
Cereal rye -- Secale cereale
About this plant:
Annual cereal grain
Grows 3 to 5 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, smooth, split with overlapping margins
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, 1/2 to 1 inch wide, margins rough
Ligule: Small membranous, torn on the edges
Other: Small auricles without hairs
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 |
Crownvetch -- Coronilla varia *
About this plant:
Perennial legume
Spreads to underground rootstocks
Creeping stems grow to 3 to 5 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Leaf: 12 to 14 pairs of leaflets arranged along a common stem, no tendrils
Flower: Variegated white to purple in color
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 |
Eastern gamagrass -- Tripsacum
dactyloides (native)
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Forms bunches up to 4 feet in diameter with thick short jointed rhizomes
Grows 6 to 8 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Flattened and open
Blade: Rolled in bud shoot, flat, smooth, up to 1/2-inch wide, with large,
prominent, light-colored midrib
Ligule: Ring of short hairs
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 |
Hairy vetch -- Vicia villosa
About this plant:
Winter annual legume
Usually planted in late summer for major growth the following year
Grows 3 to 4 feet and attaches to other plants by tendrils
Identification Tips:
Leaf: Multiple leaflets arranged along the sides of a common stem ending in
a tendril
Flower: Blue violet
Other: Vegetative parts are covered by small hairs
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 |
Indiangrass -- Sorghastrum
nutans (native)
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Warm season
Strong bunch grass
Grows 2 to 4 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Flattened, open, often purplish at the base
Blade: Folded in the bud shoot, folded along the midrib, narrow (less than
1/4-inch wide)
Ligule: Small membranous
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 |
Kentucky bluegrass -- Poa
pratensis
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Cool season
Sod forming
Grows 1 to 2 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Somewhat flattened and open
Blade: Folded in bud shoot, 1/8-inch wide, boat shaped tip and two white
lines down center of leaf
Ligule: Small, membranous
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 |
Little bluestem --
Schizachyrium scoparium (native)
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Warm season
Spreads by short rhizomes, somewhat bunchy
Grows 3 to 6 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, open, may be hairy at the base
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, flat, narrowed at the base
Ligule: Prominent, membranous, clawlike -- often referred to as a rifle
sight Back to
species list |
 |
Oats -- Avena sativa
About this plant:
Annual cereal grain
Cool season
Grows 2 to 4 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, short, hairy, split with overlapping margins
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, margins short, hairy
Ligule: Prominent, membranous, rounded and toothed
Other: Auricles absent
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 |
Orchardgrass -- Dactylis
glomerata
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Cool season
Bunch grass
Grows 2 to 4 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Flattened and open
Blade: Folded in bud shoot, flat, at least 1/4-inch wide
Ligule: Large, membranous, often split at maturity
Back to species list |
 |
Perennial ryegrass -- Lolium
perenne
About this plant:
Perennial grass (short lived)
Cool season
Bunch grass
Grows 2 to 3 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Flattened, smooth and open
Blade: Folded in the bud shoot and V-shaped, 1/8-inch wide, smooth and
glossy below
Ligule: Small, membranous
Other: Narrow, small auricles
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 |
Red clover -- Trifolium
pratense
About this plant:
Biennial or short lived perennial legume
Growth is from crows; tufted appearance
Grows 18 to 30 inches tall
Identification Tips:
Leaf: Three leaflets all equal distance from petiole, light colored V marks
present on upper leaf surface, not shiny underneath
Flower: Rose red color
Other: Vegetative parts usually covered with many hairs, does not have
stolons Back
to species list |
 |
Redtop -- Agrostis alba
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Cool season
Sod forming
Grows 2 to 3 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, open, shorter than internodes
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, up to 1/4-inch wide, with prominent veins on
the surface
Ligule: Large, membranous and shovel shaped
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 |
Reed canarygrass -- Phalaris
arundinacea * (native)
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Cool season
Sod forming
Grows 2 to 6 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, open and pale below ground
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, flat, up to 1/2-inch wide
Ligule: Large membranous ligule, pointed, often described as papery
Other: Large rhizomes, greater than 1/8-ich diameter
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 |
Sideoats grama -- Bouteloua
curtipendula (native)
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Warm season
Sod forming
Grows 1 to 3 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, open, longer than the internodes
Blade: Rolled in bud shoot, flat, up to 1/8-inch wide, hairs protruding from
bumps on margins
Ligule: Small, membranous with short hairs on top
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 |
Smooth bromegrass -- Bromus
inermis *
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Cool season
Sod forming
Grows 2 to 3 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, closed near the top
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, pinched 'W' in leaf blade
Ligule: Small, membranous
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 |
Sweet clover -- Melilotus sp.
About this plant:
Biennial legume (some annual forms also)
Growth occurs from a crown with one main stem
Grows 2 to 5 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Leaf: Usually three leaflets with terminal leaflet on small stem; entire
leaflet is toothed
Flower: Yellow/White
Other: White sweet clover is more coarse, taller and flowers 10 to 20 days
later than yellow sweet clover
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 |
Switchgrass -- Panicum virgatum
(native)
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Warm season
Sod forming
Grows 3 to 6 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, open, white to purplish tinged below
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, slat up to 1/2-icnh wide
Ligule: Fringe of hairs with a dense mat of hairs extending onto the upper
leaf surface
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 |
Tall fescue -- Festuca
arundinacea *
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Cool season
Bunch grass; forms a weak sod
Grows 2 to 3 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, open, fitting loosely around the stem
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, smooth and shiny underneath, ridged on the
upper surface
Ligule: Small membranous
Other: Very small auricles, not readily seen by the naked eye
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species list |
 |
Timothy -- Phleum pratense
About this plant:
Perennial grass
Cool season
Bunch grass
Grows 2 to 3 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, open and overlapping
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, flat, up to 1/4-inch wide, often twisted
Ligule: Large, membranous, with notch at either side
Other: Each stem grows from a distinctive swollen base
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 |
Wheat -- Triticum aestivum
About this plant:
Annual cereal grain
Grows 2 to 3 feet tall
Identification Tips:
Sheath: Round, smooth, split with overlapping margins
Blade: Rolled in the bud shoot, 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, margins smooth
Other: Small auricles, mostly long, hairy
Back to species list |
 |
White clover -- Trifolium
repens
About this plant:
Perennial legume
Spreads by stolons
Grows 6 to 12 inches tall
Identification Tips:
Leaf: Three leaflets all equal distance from petiole, light colored V marks
present on upper leaf surface, shiny underneath
Flower: White to pinkish white
Other: No hairs on vegetative plant parts
Back to species list |
* indicates the plant may be considered weedy or invasive in some parts of
the US and may not be appropriate for conservation uses in certain areas. Check
with your local Conservation District or state department of natural resources
for more information on weediness and recommendations for use. This guide in
primarily intended as an identification tool. Persons intending to use these
plants for conservation or landscape should consult additional sources of
information for use, establishment, and management of the species.
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